School officials said the alleged assaults happened in a residence hall, and the victims chose to report to the college, but it's their decision not to report it to law enforcement, and that's their right under Title IX.

Students woke up to the news Tuesday, which was posted in their residence halls."It was pretty scary when we heard about it, but I don't know," student Shelly Hutchinson said. "It was just on a flyer."

A student came forward Monday, school officials said, saying another student assaulted her. Hours later, another woman reported a similar assault, naming the suspect.

"As of right now, this person has been temporarily been removed from housing and campus," said Don Kohler.

Kohler said the allegations triggered a Title Nine investigation, and the women have access to counseling and other university services. But they've so far made the choice to not file a report with Council Bluffs police.

"We can encourage them to talk to authorities if they want to, but that is entirely up to them," Kohler said.

The women can still file a report and start a criminal investigation if they want, but experts at the Women's Center for Advancement said many victims don't.

"For some people, it may seem overwhelming to report to the police, so they may chose to report to the university instead, knowing that the may be able to get some of those resources on campus without having to go through that law enforcement process," said Maddie Walker, WCA Prevention and Education manager.

Walker, who works with local colleges on issues of sexual assault, said that's a good thing.

"A victim's priority should never really be the accountability of the offender. It really should be just their own safety and what they're comfortable with," Walker said.

Title IX investigations can take up to 60 days and have a lower burden of proof than a criminal case, because they don't have criminal consequences.

Services for victims of sexual assault can be provided by the WCA, which has a 24-hour hotline at 402-345-7273.